WANTED: Police Impersonation (Queens)

The New York City Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in ascertaining the whereabouts of the vehicle and the unidentified male who are seen in the attached surveillance photo and video and are sought in connection with a criminal impersonation of a police officer within the confines of the 109th Precinct. Details are as follows:

It was reported to police that on Saturday, May 27, 2017 at 2:08 p.m. in the vicinity of 31-06 Farrington Street within the confines of the 109 Precinct, the victim an 82-year-old male who was driving a vehicle, was approached and instructed to pull over by an unidentified male who was driving a light-color Toyota Sienna. Both men pulled over and exited their vehicles. The unidentified male identified himself as an undercover police officer, stated that the victim had committed a traffic violation by failing to stop at a stop sign and stated that a $700 cash payment would settle the matter. The unidentified male and the victim drove in the unidentified male’s vehicle to a Chase Bank located at 132-01 14th Avenue, where the victim made a withdrawal. The victim provided $700 to the unidentified male, who then drove the victim back to his vehicle. Both men then departed the scene separately in their respective vehicles. The victims subsequently reported the matter to police.

The unidentified male is white, in his 40s, short and heavyset. He has a tattoo on his ankle and a rash on his leg and abdomen.

The unidentified male’s vehicle is a light-color Toyota Sienna with distinctive bodywork in the form of a black front passenger side corner panel.

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.